Blood Sisters
Chapter 7

Paul Desnoyers did not think hisday could get any worse. He had all four of his Special Marshals andhalf the regular Marshals service out looking for any leads aboutwhere Victor Davos, The Silhouette and Michaela were. He had sevendead correctional officers, and his office had dropped the ball inprotecting Dr. Sarah Reed, who was assaulted nearly an hour after thefugitives escaped Ft. Miles. She had been in surgery for hours now,and it did not look good at all.

Paulwished that he could be at the hospital with her. He had moved one ofhis D-Day remote units on site to guard Dr. Reed in case Michaelacame back to finish the job. All he had to do was press a button andhis VR system would make it seem like he was there, piloting theunit. But it was not the same.

Inorder to optimize his response time, and better control his remoteunits, Paul was commanding operations from the cockpit of his masterD-Day unit. As 6” tall Paul listened to the chatter and gavecommands he was very grateful to M-Tech for developing the Vox systemfor his headset. Both he and Titan had a similar problem, when theychanged size so dramatically their ears heard the world differentlyand their vocal cords made their voices sound either too high or toolow when they got smaller or larger. Similar to beta-cloth, but lessbullet-resistant, M-Tech had developed the special fabric they wore,called gamma-cloth, that would shrink or grow with them, and had usedsimilar technology to make the communications headsets with the Voxsystem, which compensated for their different size ears and vocalcords so that they sounded normal, and heard others normally.

The technology for both was veryimpressive, both beta and gamma cloth was fabric made fromsuperconductive metals in a powdered form which were contained incarbon nano-tubes. It allowed their clothes to be powered by theirbodies own electrical currents, and had different fibers fordifferent applications such as batteries, sensors, data storage, andso on. In the case of the gamma-cloth this smart fabric couldshrink or expand with the wearer due to the way it could change themolecular arrangement of itself. This functionality is what made thegamma-cloth less protective, especially when stretched or compressed.Of course, the mass of the fabric did not change, so when Paul wassmall, his suit felt much heavier.

Paul already felt like he wasdirecting about all he could handle when he got a priority message onhis screen. Paul grimaced when he saw who was calling. He opened thecommunications channel. “Hello this is Marshal Desnoyers”. Awoman's voice came over his headset “please hold the line for apriority call from Deputy Attorney General Welkowitz”. Paulgrumbled under his breath, perhaps his day could get worse after all,he hated getting a call from the boss.

“Paul how are you?” CarlWelkowitz said evenly. “Good morning sir, as you are most likelyaware we are pretty busy at the moment.” “Yes I am Marshal.Unfortunately, I need you to divert some of your resources to anotherthreat.” Paul bit his tongue. “With all due respect, sir, whatcould be a greater threat then Michaela and her new friends?” Therewas a pause before Welkowitz said “We potentially have a rogueNew-Hum gamma on our hands, Paul. Perhaps even an omega. She haskilled at least one man who was a federal agent, injured 20 or socivilians, trashed a police station and injured nearly 12 policeofficers and detectives. To top that off; Jenny Goldstar is in thehospital right now with broken ribs, a punctured lung and internalbleeding. Seems she tried to stop this rogue gamma and got more thenshe bargained for”.

Paul was shocked. “How... Imean, Jenny has an impenetrable force-field, who could break herribs?” Carl replied quickly “I think you are beginning to see theproblem.” Paul sighed. “What do you want me to do about Jenny'saunt, when she hears about this, she is going to want to be...diverted.”

“That'syour call, Paul. Send two of your Special Marshals to track this girldown, I am sending you everything we have on her. When you locateeither this rogue New-Hum, or Michaela you can pull your team backtogether, in the meantime, spread your net.” Paul shouted in hishead at his boss THIS iswhy I told you I needed more agents you jackass!but all he said was “Yes. Sir.”

Paul switched over his commchannel. “Titan, North Star, return to the ops center for a newassignment, on the double”. The usual backtalk and gripes came backthen Paul said “Jenny is hurt, get back here now, we have anotherproblem.” Paul looked over the scarce data that the DAG sent him...“Cricket, huh... you gotta be kidding me, fifteen years old?!” hemuttered. D-Day wondered why this fell in his lap instead of the NSASpecial Response Team (N-SART), not that they could handle it anyway.He looked up “Crickets”custody status and saw it was listed as ”classified”. Paul cursedand shook his head, this is just getting better and better hethought bitterly. With a sigh of frustration he prepared a quickbriefing file for his two Marshals, then sent it to their comminterface.

For many long minutes Paul satquietly in his small cockpit, his weary face lit only by the multipleLED displays from his control panels. The audio chatter keptfiltering in through the comm system and he turned it down so hecould think. This whole situation had a stink to it that he justdidn't like. “Classified my ass” Paul muttered to himself.Someone, somewhere had fucked up, and now his team had an extra messto clean up. Unable to shake his frustration, Paul scrambled to replaceanything, anythinghe could do that would be useful.

Hesettled on Jenny Goldstar, it was hard to imagine the vivacious younggirl, who had lived such a charmed life until now, being badly hurt,being... mortal like everyone else. Too many people had died today.Too many people were hurt on his watch. Paul resolved “bettersafe then sorry” and sent one of his few remaining D-Day units toguard the daughter of Earth's mightiest hero.

***

The sun was high in the sky whena thick pool of blood started to squeeze under the door of the hotelroom. Victor was pacing that room, glowering as he alternativelylooked out the window, and at the banal morning talk show TheSilhouette had on. “What is your name anyway, Silhouette?” heasked curtly. The Silhouette looked at him askance with a devilishsmirk then back at her show. Victor felt a wave of interest for theshadow woman wash over him. “Heh” he muttered. He tried to shakeit off. The Silhouette was starting to get under his skin, more thenjust the simple attraction he commonly felt for an exotic beauty likeher. Victor glanced back at her and found she was glancing back withthose moonlight eyes. She smiled and looked back to the TV. Dammitthe dead man thought.

It was then that Victor saw theviscous pool of blood as it spread over the hotel floor like crimsonmercury. He frowned. “Welcome back Michaela” he said flatly. Thepool flowed upward and took a female shape which smiled coldly athim. After a moment, the blood form was gone and the vampiress wasstanding there. Victor felt an unwelcome bolt of desire for her andturned away. Michaela laughed at him.

TheSilhouette clicked off the TV and glared at the vampire, her paleeyes taking on a frosty edge. “Are you done fucking around cabrón?”The Dark Lady scoffed. Almost too fast to see Michaela crossed theroom and got right in The Silhouette's face, her ruby eyes flaring.With an edge of feral menace the vampiress growled at her “youlittle cunt, I'll rip out your still beating dark heart and the lastthing you'll ever see will be my teeth as I feast on it!” Michaelacaressed the side of The Silhouette's cheek with her razor sharpclaws like a demon lover as she glared right into her eyes.

Silhouette recoiled in horror andreflexively reached into darkness. Inky black tendrils whipped out ofMichaela's shadow and pulled the vampiress back and away. Michaelagave a cold wicked laugh and just mocked The Silhouette, even as thetendrils snaked around her legs and torso, holding her in place.

“That's enough”. Victor cutin. “We need to cooperate for now, you two can play with each otherlater”. Michaela licked her blue lips, showing a hint of fang atThe Silhouette, who just looked ill. The Midnight Mistress turnedaway from the vampiress and the black tentacles released her, slidingback into the shadow they came from. Silhouette cursed under herbreath in Spanish. Victor laughed and spoke back to her in kind.Silhouette relaxed some and smiled. Michaela just scowled at thepair, not understanding a word of it. She glided across the room,wincing uncomfortably as she crossed through a cone of sunlight thatwas filtering in. Michaela snapped the dusty drapes closed and sat ina stained old chair that was against the wall by the windows. Shelooked back at Silhouette and Davos with an icy gaze.

The Silhouette just ignored her,as best she could anyway. Michaela was hard to ignore as herseductive allure was a constant presence. It was hard to tell if itwas something she was actively doing, or if was just part of hervampiric mutation.

“What's our next move, Muerte?”Silhouette asked, looking over at Victor, who also seemed to be doinghis best to ignore Michaela. “OK” he began, looking back andforth at the two women. “We have eluded capture for the moment. Ihave an agreement to fulfill with Michaela, as I mentioned to youbefore Silhouette. In exchange for her assistance getting out of FortMiles I will help Michaela get revenge on Miss Liberty”. Victorwatched The Silhouette for a few moments, trying to gauge herreaction. It was hard to read her exotic features. “Obviously, sucha task will not be easy, but it turns out that Ashton's death willultimately serve me as well” Michaela smiled gruesomely. Victorgazed at the vampire despite himself and continued. “We needed yourhelp to get out of Shay's as well, Silhouette, but you made nocommitments”. He caught himself looking her over. She smirked athim. “However, I would welcome your assistance, and as I know youlike cash, I can assure you that one of the first things we need isbankroll...” Michaela scoffed “I don't need money, I don't wishto waste my time with that”. The vampiress pointed with disdain atThe Silhouette and added “and she has never killed anyone, there isno smell of death on her. What makes you think this coward willmurder now when all she has ever done is run away?”. Silhouetteseethed, snarling back at Michaela and snapping up to her feet.Victor looked up at the ceiling and took a breath, holding out hishand in mute request to The Midnight Mistress to let it pass.“Michaela, Taking down Allison Ashton will not be easy, we willneed Silhouette's help and we can't steal all the equipment I willneed to do it in a reasonable amount of time”. Victor held his gazeat Michaela “If you want your vengeance sooner rather then later,we need her, and I need cash”. Michaela just growled in annoyance.Silhouette chimed in, still on her feet and glaring at the vampire“Why do you have it in so much for Ashton anyway Michaela?” Thevampiress looked over at The Dark Lady slowly. “I don't need areason to kill people, the killing itself is rewarding inso-many-ways, you should try it” Her voice chilled the room as shebit off each word. “In Allison's case, tasting her flesh anddrinking her down to the bones will be extra sweet, I will savor it.It was she and her sycophants that locked me up in that cursedmountain.” The vampire smiled, all fangs. “When I dump hershriveled corpse on the Washington Mall, those heroes thatremain will remember why they fear the night.”

Silhouette frowned, she really,REALLY disliked that... thing. She feared Michaela, and she hatedthat. Also, her evil villain creature cliches were tiresome.Outwardly she just shrugged “Well, taking out Miss Liberty wouldbring me a lot of clout.” Silhouette did not believe Victor reallyintended to kill Ashton, but she did not know what his game was. TheSilhouette glanced back to Victor “...and I like the idea of asmart man around to help me plan a few heists. I'd rather not getcaught again myself.” The dark lady with moonlight eyes smiledimpishly at Victor, who twisted his lip. Silhouette was trouble. Hewas starting to actually like her, and that always, ALWAYScomplicated things. He was more then a century old, and women couldstill make his blood run hot, threatening to thaw out the heart heneeded cold.

Hesighed. “Right, so, we need to replace a better base of operationsthen this...” Michaela interrupted with her smooth tone “Leavethat to me, I can be very... convincing”. Victor looked over at her“we can't leave a trail of blood to follow, Michaela, so if youcould please...” She laughed, Victor shivered. “Don't worry”she said coyly “I'll be nice”. “Fine” Victor said evenly.“Like both of you, I have been locked away, so I will need few daysto get my bearings and come up with a plan”. He cracked sometension out of his neck. “That will also serve to cool the heatfrom our escape.”

“Sowhat do I do in the meantime, Muerte?” The Silhouette askedpointedly. “Just keep you company?” Victor closed his eyes andtook a breath. “Just don't get into trouble, all-right?” Shelooked at him all mischief. “Well, that won't be much fun foreither of us, now will it?”. Victor looked down at the floor.Michaela laughed at him. The Silhouette cocked her head and smiled.Davos Muerte shook his head and ground his teeth. These women weredistracting. “Dammit” he muttered.

***

Sarah Reed woke in darkness.Slowly coming to her senses she first became aware of the pain. Paineverywhere, all different kinds of pain. In a panic she realized shecould not move... and she could not feel her legs. She could not openher eyes, she felt cloth... bandages covering her entire head... herentire body. Then came the nausea. It was all too much, too much. Herconsciousness slipped away again.

Several times Sarah ralliedagainst her sedation to wake briefly into torment before slippingback into blissful oblivion, a dreamless drug induced sleep of death.Every time it was the same. Darkness. Pain. Paralysis. Nausea.

After an eternity, Dr. Reedstarted to come to her senses and began assessing her situation. Itwas clear to her that she was in traction. Her face... Sarah shook asthe memory of the vampire's assault gripped her. If there were not atube in her throat she would have screamed. Darkness again as hermind retreated in horror.

Eventually Sarah realized therewas a woman's voice talking to her... “Dr. Reed... Sarah, I am Dr.Cooper. You are at New Avalon Hospital...” She drifted. “...havereduced your sedation, and there is good... you are breathing on yourown... more surgeries needed.” Sarah faded in and out. “...andreconstructive plastic surgery on your face, there is...” Sarahcould not hear. “...lumbar spine, it is too soon to tell if theparalysis will be...” she fought to stay awake. “...your injurieswere so severe... rehabilitation... optimistic of at leastpartial...”. Oblivion took Sarah again.

As the days passed, Sarah hadmore and more useful consciousness, and the pain lessened slightly.She could move her arms somewhat, her spine and neck were broken inthree places, and her skull was bolted into place. She could not feelanything below her waist. She had undergone several surgeries and herface and body were still covered in bandages. Only her hearingoriented her to the outside world, everything else was pain ordarkness.

Duringthe quiet hours of the night Sarah lay awake, trapped in her livingnightmare. Full of dread and chilling futility, feeling the lastvesitges of hope fading from her. I want to die, please, pleasejust let me die she thought. There was no answer but the silenceas Sarah prayed for death.

Then,there at the edge of oblivion was something new. Something in thedark and the quiet, deep down in her mind, it stirred. Apinprick cracked open some hidden dam, and it came tricklingout. A terror rose, and Sarah tried to stop it, to seal thedam back up, to protect herself, to keep herself safe from whatfestered inside. The trickle built into a torrent as the dam crumbledand it began to fill her, spreading from the hidden depths ofher mind. The dam had stood strong and silent for years, stretchingback to her girlhood, holding the terror at bay. Now a black floodswept through the canyons of her mind, sweeping away the rocks whichhad covered her buried secrets.

Sarah'sbody shook as the memories of a hundred violations, large and smallwere laid bare, raw and bleached like a skeleton baking in the sun.More and more her body trembled, straining against the straps andmedical metal that restrained her. Sarah's head was spinning and whatremained of her face contorted. Itwas sweeping her away, there would be nothing left of her.Sarah was a terrified girl again, alone, drowning in the swelleddeluge, a lifetime of silent suffering finally flowing free. Sarahgasped, shaking as her lungs burned for air and hot tears burst outfrom scarred ducts. It felt like her skull swelled, tearing itselfapart at the seams where bone met bone.

Then,in the hopeless graveyard at the edge of sanity it finallyrose. Sarah released a thundering, spine shaking, banshee cry as hersoul purged twenty years of doubt and pain, fear and shame. In thepregnant stillness that followed, only it remained. A rush, asoothing new companion, a new purpose. It filled all thetrenches in her mind where the fear had lurked. It catapultedthe scared child cowering within Sarah screeching like a hawk intothe dawn. It was rage. Simple, burning, uncompromising,murderous rage. Within her battered and broken body, Sarah wasreborn.